The Year Ahead 2019

Shaping Europe’s Present and Future

After a decade of economic and political crises, the project of European integration continues to face existential challenges. But while some observers worry about the EU’s future, its High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy is confident that through continued cooperation, Europeans can secure their interests even in an era of global upheaval.

As the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini has overseen EU foreign and security policy since November 2014. With her term coming to an end in 2019, Mark Leonard of the European Council on Foreign Relations asked Mogherini about the state of European security, the future of the international order, arms control, migration, and a broad range of other issues.

Mark Leonard: So far, the European Union has demonstrated an ability to maintain its unity over key issues like Brexit and the maintenance of the post-Crimea sanctions on Russia. Is this unity likely to hold in 2019, particularly given the looming EU parliamentary elections and changes at the top of the European Commission and Council?

Federica Mogherini: The unity of our Union is much stronger than often perceived. What I see in my daily work is an EU that makes decisions jointly, implements them together, and – especially in the field of foreign and security policy – acts as one. Many complain about the lack of unity. But my impression is that these complaints derive more from a comfortable cliché that is repeated on the basis of past experiences, rather than from a realistic reflection on the situation today.

Obviously, we need to define what we mean by “unity.” It doesn’t mean uniformity. We number 28 – soon 27, which is still a lot. With 500 million people, the EU is the largest integration project ever realized. The EU is the biggest market in the world, and the second-largest economy. It comprises many different cultures, languages, and politics. History and geography have given us different backgrounds. It is only natural that this translates into different views, opinions, voices – even within each of our democratic societies.

Federica Mogherini is High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice President of the European Commission. She was formerly Italy’s minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation.

As I read history, Italy blossomed thanks the Magdeburg rights. But Italy is rather proud about the city states of the Renaissance, being a result of the oligarchy, which has in reality meant the downfall of this economic raise in Italy.Maybe, this was and is the cause that Italy wasn’t aware of the danger in form of the modern oligarchy in such appearances like Berlusconi.After the fall of the USSR, the former totalitarian countries on a feudal basis with a communist label, have become a capitalist top hat on the Soviet reality. In EU-institutions were employed Soviet people with a “good education”, but not the victims of the repressive systems, who couldn’t get a good education, if they weren’t eradicated. So, the EU demanded, that the Baltic states must take part in the conversion of former Soviet people into Rosians (because Rosia / Росія and not “Russia”). So, instead of Ukrainian, they teach now in the Baltic states “Russian”, which is and was an imperial instrument, and not a cultural component like English.Thus, if you fight “fake news” (propaganda) with this tool, you don’t get a desired result.History, as a tool for current issues knocks at the door. In Spain are the remains of Franco. In Poland, not broadcasted, in the city Krakiv (Krakov) are the remains of the dictator Pilsudski. Those remains were the reason, that Pontiff Paul II has never mentioned his Ukrainian roots. But it should be an impulse, to demand from post-Soviet Poland, that the Ukrainian language (the synodic one / соборна українська мова) must be a state language in Poland. In Krakiv (Krakov) and Ljublin (Люблин/Люблін) should be established Ukrainian universities.That would be a necessary correction of false history, since post-Soviet Poland has had no rights to be a member of the EU, because Poland as part of the Eastern bloc participated in the Genocide of the Ukrainian nation.And towards history, the Goths from Ukraine have created Spain, the Roman empire of the German nation. The proper name Gauls comes very likely from the Ukrainian proper name Halone, Halytchany, which comes from the proper name of the singing bird daw. In historic Greece was used the name Celts, which comes very likely from an old name for a prehistoric ax, which is tsel’t (цельт).Even if you take Italian surnames with the ending -ini and replace it with the Ukrainian ending -ynyy (-иний) and so on, it makes sense :)Maybe, it’s better to break my thoughts here, that a charming smile needn’t to get eyeglasses :) ---

It is good to read that the EU is evermore succeeding to operate as a Union on the World stage.This is one area in which it could be beneficial to be a member of a Union.

Since the author writes about the present and the future of the EU, I would like to give some comment.

Over the past 20 years the EU has been dramatically hit by two Brussels iniatives: the reckless introduction of the Euro and the just as reckless implementation of Schengen.The first caused the, immensly costly, Eurocrises and a slow economic growth.Some citizen have not seen their disposable income increase for 10 years or more.The second lead to some EU cities now having a population of more than 50 % immigrants, with more than 150 different nationalities.This resulted in alienation, a decrease in cohesion, increase in crime and a slow down in economic growth. Drugtrade has surpassed the turnover of many multinational corporations, trucks have to park outside cities to prevent plunder, hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants cannot be deported and ramble though the EU stealing, raping and sometimes even murdering.The EU undoubtly does many good things. However the disastrous policies of the past has left immense mistrust with whatever Brussels does.

Further:- I think the EU should invest more effort in normalising relations with Russia. The EU lacks strategic thinking. With all these weapons in the heart of Europe better communications is imperative.

- I do not see what the EU can do with it's own Army. They should support NATO. There is no substitute. Small conflicts usually escalate and then you will need the NATO.

- The immigration has decreased by 92 % since 2015. EU Frontex should now do more to return illegal immigrants to Africa, which is 7 times as large as the EU. Only member states can decide what immigrants they want to admit, not Brussels.

- In the EU is Macron the greatest threat to the cohesion of the EU. By means of the Franco-German axis he tries to split the EU. France and Germany as one unit and the rest as 22 vasal states.Also he wants by means of "stucural reforms" make the Eurozone a transfer Union at the expense of Germany and others.Instead of encouraging EU citizen to learn English, the language of the world, he proposes to learn French and German.- The EU lacks transparancy and democracy, maybe in the Capitals, but especially in Brussels.Improvements are badly needed ( The deep state of Europe, Basil Coronakis, 2016 )

Greece has cheated the EU repeatedly and should not have been admitted as a full member.Perhaps as an associated member, which would then be given EU aid. It certainly should not have been a member of the Eurozone.As far as the latter is concerned, it is questionable if it is in their own interest to remain.

Per. I agree it was the EU who admitted Greece. It was also the EU that let the Banks ( mainly German and French ) allowed them to do their businesses and later had to be rescued by the EU taxpayer. Another example of EU mismanagement.When Brussels sees an opportunity to expand EU influence, they seem to be getting intoxicated by the lust for power and stop thinking clearly.

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